


The Mariposa

by TheBogebladskriger



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Comedy, Doubt, F/M, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV First Person, Romance, Slice of Life, Starting Over
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-06
Updated: 2017-09-06
Packaged: 2018-12-24 14:52:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12015072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBogebladskriger/pseuds/TheBogebladskriger
Summary: What do cutting boards, windows, and metal boxes have in common? Not much, but they all did play a part of hauling a city-dweller into the country life. This story is about a man, who accidentally breaks his status quo, and moves to Stardew Valley, where he will have to tackle the consequences of one single decision.





	The Mariposa

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fanfic I have ever written. I was introduced to this website by my friend Mcthostrup, who also writes fanfics here, and I was hooked on the idea! This chapter will only include the farmer, and one character from the game itself. Others will be introduced later. This wil be a chronological story. The chapters will be released randomly as I write them. Feel free to give me advice on how to make it more readable (formatting, paragraphs, etc.)
> 
> And without further ado, enjoy the chapter!

The day I decided it had to change was a day like any other. Well, that is, if you count hurling a cutting board out of a window as an everyday activity. My point is, it started like any other day. Get up, go to work at a desk job that I hate, get home, make dinner, sleep. Well, that day I only got to the making dinner part. On the cutting board upon which I was desecrating a fowl, which had once had a life on par with mine, I saw it. That stupid JoJa logo grinning at me, just like it had done for the past three years, since I received it as a complimentary Winter Star present. Apparently, it wasn’t enough that it was watching me at work. Now, normally being barraged with a particular logo wouldn’t tick someone off like that, would it? In this case, yes it would. It’s as if every single higher-up at JoJa Corporation has the empty smile of that logo etched in their faces. Especially my supervisor. Normally people hate their supervisors because they are demanding and cruel. I hate this one because he is just that. Except this one hides the cruelty behind a big white grin. It doesn’t fool anyone. You can see in his eyes how he despises anyone below him. And thus, in the comfort of my shoddy one-room apartment, I snapped. I jabbed the knife into the kitchen counter, grabbed ahold of the board, and flung it right through the brittle old window.

My Landlord wasn’t too pleased. I thought it was worth a chuckle. Well, that was until I was standing on the sidewalk with two boxes, a fine, and no place to sleep. Then I thought it was kind of dumb too. My mother wasn’t too happy either, but she let me stay at her apartment regardless. And there I was. Back at mama’s, no place of my own, and a low-paying job. Back to square one. I was lost in thought that night. Negative thoughts. 

“Why am I so pathetic. I don’t have any close friends, no girlfriend, and no hobbies. I’m sitting here at my mother’s apartment, while people are out starting families. Hell, Jones from High School is even fighting in the war against Gotoro. And what have I done with my life?” 

My train of thought spiraled out of control that night. I decided to go get a beer from the fridge, but in the dark of the night, I accidentally knocked down one of my boxes. Everything spilled out, and I audibly muttered “shit”. As I started picking up the stuff that had spilled out, I noticed and old metal case. The lock had broken upon impact with the floor, and a plethora of photographs, letters, and cards had spilled out. I sat down. These were childhood memories. There were pictures from summer camp near Castle Village, and letters from pen pals who I had kept in touch with for quite some time after the camp. Drawings from elementary school, Christmas cards from various family members, and a picture of three men and a woman next to a saloon. I had no memory of acquiring this picture. I could recognize my grandpa, but not the three others. One of the men had a handlebar moustache, and a big smile on his face. Next to him sat a stoic man in a wheelchair, and behind him a friendly looking lady. Grandpa looked jolly as always. The letters on the saloon spelled out “THE STARDROP SALOON”. A small tear formed in the corner of my eye. I had almost forgotten grandpa. The rush of daily life had almost erased him from my memory. I was a bit shocked that I had just let him go like that. He meant a lot to me back then. And I, his only grandchild, had meant a lot to him as well. That’s when I remembered his words. 

“And for my very special grandson…” 

I immediately remembered it vividly. On his deathbed, he had given me a letter. I looked to the stack of paper next to me on the floor. There it was. Purple seal. Yellowed envelope. I gently broke I open, and read the letter inside. And I knew I what I had to do.

The next day I quit my job. I had nothing to lose. My supervisor waltzed up to me, as I was gathering whatever belongings I had at the office. 

“We’re so sorry that you’re leaving us!” He cackled. 

I looked him in the eyes. The hate in his eyes seemed more potent on that day. Probably because he had to find a replacement now. But the smile was still there, carved into his face as if someone had used a chisel to make it. 

“I’m not.” I told him whilst maintaining eye contact. 

For the first time ever, I saw his fake plastic smile drop. Not a second later, he spun around on one heel and wandered off. That was the last time I saw him. Not a week later, I was sitting in a bus with some earbuds plugged into my head, and a chocolate bar in my hand, heading for my future. In my head, I was imagining all the things it would hold. How I would make the farm, that I, less than a week ago, didn’t know that I owned, flourish. I imagined long fields with lines of vegetables, grand orchards with beautiful fruit trees, and farm animals frolicking in wide fields of grass. And so, after a long voyage, I reached my destination with high hopes. And I was completely let down. After being led to my newly acquired property, I didn’t discover anything living up to my hopes. Yes, there were fields, but they were full of gnarly trees and weeds. Upon seeing my reaction to the farm, the mayor, who had led me to it, made some comment about it being no problem to get rid of. I didn’t really listen. I was lost thinking about how impossible it all looked. I just turned my head slowly towards him. 

“I’m pretty tired… I think I’ll go inside now…” I said slowly. 

“Hmm, some journey you must’ve had. I understand.” He said, and handed me the key to the farmhouse. 

As he was about to walk away, he suddenly turned to me again. 

“Hey Jasper?” 

I stopped immediately, and turned to look at him. 

“Come on down to the Stardrop Saloon someday. You know, so you can get to know us all!” He said encouragingly, before turning around again. 

That’s when I recognized him. It was the man with the handlebar moustache from the picture. He was older. His hair had turned grey, and wrinkles had formed on his face. I lifted my hand and drew a breath before stopping myself. I wanted to ask him about my grandpa. But I decided against it. I don’t know why. 

“See you there, Lewis,” I said briefly before going inside. 

I’m not even sure he heard me.

The farmhouse was cozy, and comfortable enough once the fire was diligently crackling in the fireplace to provide heat for me. There were a few old pieces of furniture, but nothing special. And as I was lying in the old bed, that came with the place, staring into the ceiling, I started doubting my decision. I didn’t have that much money, I had a ton of work to do before being able to grow anything, and I had moved here in the middle of summer, so I only had a few months to grow something. So there I lay in doubt, in an old bed, in an old farmhouse, in my new home. Stardew Valley.


End file.
